WAIT OUT THE STORM

I penned these words a little over a week ago. It was Saturday morning and I had just awoken from a dream. In the dream, there was a terrible rain storm and I was in it. I was riding a bike and because of the rain storm which had resulted in a flood, it was impossible for me to get home on that bike despite all my efforts. As I struggled on, I met my dad who was also trying to get home. Just a moment after, we saw a pink & white colored building in a corner. It was a hotel; and the sky looked bright and weather, dry over on that side. Dad pointed and suggested that we go in there to wait out the storm. I almost objected, but considering our situation in that storm, I realized that we had no choice and so decided to go in. Then I woke up.

As I pondered on that dream, I heard God telling me some things. 

There is always a provision from God in stormy times. God always provides that place of solace and comfort where we, as His children, can wait out the storm. Although, we may not see it because we are too focused on the stormy situation; but it’s true, our Father always provides solace for us in troubled times. Sometimes this comfort zone may seem like a diversion from where you’re really going. You may think that you’re losing sight, you’re derailing and time is running out. But remember, there’s a storm out there, it’s better to wait somewhere than to die in it.

That’s what Jesus did in Mark 4:35-41. A storm arose while He & His disciples were in the middle of the sea. Jesus, in His wisdom, chose to wait out the storm at the bottom side of the boat. He slept even in the raging storm. He must’ve thought to Himself, “I had better get a nap now while this storm lasts; when the storm is over, work begins. I’ll have to start teaching again.” Jesus chose to wait out the storm. The disciples on the other hand chose to deal with it; and as we know, it didn’t profit them.

From the disciples’ experience that night, we can see many dangers to trying to deal with a storm without the support of the Master Storm Stiller.

1.    Feeling of Failure: Dealing with a storm that is bigger than you will only leave you with a feeling of failure. Every of your effort will come smashing back in your face. The disciples tried to scoop water out of the boat. The more they tried, the more water came into the boat. In that dream, I tried everything to maneuver my bicycle. I adjusted the arms, adjusted the seat, adjusted the pedals, and still couldn’t make it anywhere; everywhere was filled with water. I almost could not differentiate a gully from a pathway. It’s never rewarding when you try to deal with that terrible situation by yourself. 

2.    Fear/Lack of Faith in God’s ability: Storms are scary. They are so scary that they can sap out every ounce of faith in you if you let them.  You suddenly forget all of God’s promises to you, almost deeming Him a liar. Storms sap your faith. I know this because Jesus, after He had been prematurely awoken from His sleep said to the disciples, “How is it that you have no faith?” I just went through a major a storm in my life and it’s not over yet. It’s still raging out there. But I’m here in Christ, waiting it out. And I believe God gave me this dream to let me know that I should not be afraid & lose heart because of the delay. I’m just waiting out the storm. However, while I tried to deal with this storm by myself, my faith was terribly battered. Thank God for His restoration.

Sometimes, we need to look around us. If the Master Storm Stiller isn’t battling the storm with you, look around for where He is, and wait out the storm in Him. One thing is certain, the storm will subside, and the sun will shine again and there will be calm. 

3.    Lack of Clarity: You can’t see anything in a storm. All you can see in a storm is the storm itself. You can’t see where you’re going. You can’t strategize. You can’t think. You’re so overwhelmed with the storm that nothing else moves on in your life. You think it and breathe it; your prayer points are centered on it; your other responsibilities suffer. Of course, you can’t pray for anyone else while you try to deal with a storm. It’s only about you, you and you. You whine, “Can’t they see what’s going on with me? Why are people so selfish? Oh no! I can’t offer help to anyone – not right now.”

Friend, there’s a hotel right on the corner. Go wait out the storm in there. You’ll have time to think and re-strategize. You can listen to Him give you new ideas, what next steps you’ll need to take on your journey, while He handles your troublesome situation. 

4.    Fatigue: A storm wears you out completely – physically, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, maritally and financially – all around batter. To move against a storm, one needs to multiply his strength. It takes so much effort and it gets you tired really quickly; and not long after, “giving up” seems appealing to you.

Again, there’s a hotel just some meters from where you are right now. You can freshen up there; brush your teeth and have some dinner. Watch some TV and rest in the arms of the Almighty God. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He promised to be with you every step of the way (Isaiah 43:2). He is too faithful to lie (Hebrews 10:23). Things may not be going as you hoped right now. But trust Him, He has a better plan. You just have the few pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that you need right now. He has got the cover box and so He sees and knows the bigger picture that you do not see. It may make no sense to you right now, but it makes a whole lot of sense to Him because He is the Mastermind of that bigger picture. Just wait on Him. He’ll still that storm. Don’t be like the disciples who forgot Jesus’ words just a few minutes after He had said, “Let us go over to the other side” (Mark 4:35). One thing the disciples failed to understand that night was that as long as Jesus was in that boat and having made that statement to take them to the other side, there was no way they were going to sink in that sea. No matter what had happened, they’d definitely have gotten to the other side. God is too faithful – TOO FAITHFUL – to lie. TOO FAITHFUL --- remember that!

Friend, just wait out the storm. It’ll cease soon and you can move on to where He’s taking you to.

Okay... Let's Answer This One Question...

First, a little recap…

We started this series on man with defining who man is; his Creator; his adversary; his entity; and then his Fall. As we wind down this series, we will take a detailed look at man’s redemption following his Fall. I think it will be more profitable to split this teaching; so today, let’s answer one critical question that comes with this topic.

The greatest thing that ever happened to man is that Jesus came in human flesh to die for man in order to reconcile man to God – that He may redeem man from his fall. That is the greatest thing that ever happened in Heaven, on earth, or beneath. It was and is and will be. No historical occurrence can beat it; no scientific discovery can overtake it; and no futuristic imagination can subdue it. It was, it is, and always will be the greatest thing that ever happened to man.

Now, it is important to note at this point that several religious beliefs agree that man is/was helpless in the area of sin. Even secular laws penalize people for crimes. No one argues with the fact that man sins – everyone agrees, including atheists.

In addition, many religious beliefs also agree with the fact that there is a Supreme Being that we call God. Now, I’m not talking about the many little gods of the Greeks or the Hindus. I’m referring to that Supreme Being that Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Bahai, Deism, etc. believe in. Quite a number of religions know that there is God, and they agree that there needs to be a means to reach Him.

Sometime ago, when I lived in Texas, I had a lovely roommate. She had a boyfriend, who more or less lived in our apartment. One day, he was alone with me in the house, and I was led to discuss Jesus with him. As we talked he took a blue stationery and drew something similar to this.

 His question was, “How can you say Jesus is the only way to God? Can’t these other religions be pathways to God?”

John 14:6

He had a valid question. And I’m sure some of you have wondered about that too. In fact, I remember watching Oprah Winfrey a number of times on TV saying that there are several ways to God. Unfortunately, a lot of people believe in Oprahism and have been deceived that her statement is true.

There are several reasons why other religions won’t lead us to God. Jesus is the ONLY possible Savior. And here are a few reasons:

ONE: Jesus is GOD

Remember we told you that the disobedience of Adam led to the fall of man. It means that anybody born through the loins of Adam automatically had the sin nature (Psalm 51:5). “How could a sinner deliver a sinner? How could a prisoner set a prisoner free?” That is not possible. No human being, no religious leader, no other person could/can ever lead man to God. Only a sinless God can save a sinner and make Him sinless too (2 Corinthians 5:21). That sinless God is Jesus. (Romans 5:19).

The Bible tells us in John 1:14, “And the Word (Jesus) was made flesh, and dwelt among us…”

You see, when it was time for God to solve this sin problem once and for all (Hebrews 10:10), His Holy Spirit came over Mary and she conceived and gave birth to the only sinless man since Adam.

Wouldn’t it have been less complicated for God to just have found a virgin man and paired with Virgin Mary to give us a virgin Savior? That would not have solved our sin problem.

Jesus had to be conceived of the Holy Spirit (and not man – virgin or not) to be our sinless Savior. (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus is God in human flesh.

Now, don’t ask me how possible that was. I don’t know. Mary, the vessel, God used for this assignment asked that same question, and all she got was, “With God nothing shall be impossible.” (Luke 1:37). And honestly, I’m not trying to understand it. It’ll blow my mind. I can’t even understand how a man and a woman can come together to produce a baby – another human being, let alone this. That’s why God is God – indescribable, unexplainable! In the words of an author I once read, “It’ll require more faith to believe that there is no God than it is to believe that there is one.” I totally agree with Him.

TWO: Christianity Requires Only Faith in the Finished Work of Christ

This is another reason why no other religion can lead us to God. Every religion on the surface of this earth that believes in a Supreme Being requires some level of “work” from each of her followers. Every religion, except Christianity. Funnily enough, some religious beliefs asides Christianity agree that Jesus is the Savior, but that there is more to it.

My friends, know that there is absolutely nothing that you can humanly possibly do to earn your salvation – ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. Max Lucado describes in his book, In the Grip of Grace, that trying to earn your way to God is like trying to build bricks in an ocean to make a pathway to the other side. The more you work, the more work you realize you have to do. The impossibility of working for your salvation has also been described as one being on earth and trying to jump to touch the moon. It is not possible to do “works” to measure up to God’s level of righteousness.

Our works do not make God love us more or less than He did when John 3:16 was penned, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Romans 5:6-8 tells us, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Christ died for us when we didn’t even realize that we needed salvation. Jesus extended His grace to us when we couldn’t help ourselves to do righteous deeds. (Titus 2:11). How then is it now that we need good works to save us?

Ephesians 2:8-9 tells, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]” (KJV/AMP).

There is no amount of good that we can possibly do to make our way to God… Our righteousness without Christ is less than nothing before God (Romans 3:10, 12b).

Christians are saved and have access to God because we believe in the finished work of Christ. A believer in Christ steps out of faith when he/she feels the need to do something to gain God’s approval. Any belief that adds works to faith is not Christianity. You may call in something else.

THREE: Through Jesus, We Have a Sinless Nature. Romans 8:2-4. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Before Jesus, we didn’t have the ability to do right. If you follow the story of the Israelites as they journeyed to the Promised Land and thereafter, you will realize that sometimes they actually tried to do right. In the Book of Judges, we see them falling and rising, falling and rising. I sincerely believe that the Israelites really wanted to do right sometimes. But the sinful nature in them wouldn’t let them.

Only Jesus can deliver a person from the grip of the sin nature (Please, read Romans 7:13-25). No other religion can. Jesus is indeed the only True Savior.

FOUR: Through Jesus We Have a Relationship with the Father.

Unlike other religious beliefs, Christianity isn’t a do-it-this-way-mechanically-or-you’re-out-kinda religion. In fact, we Christians do not like to call our belief a religion, we prefer the term, “relationship”; because that’s what it is. Through Jesus, we have access to the Father (Ephesians 2:18). We can talk to Him and He to us. We live in Him and He lives in us (Galatians 2:20; Acts 17:28; John 14:23). Our relationship with Him is not a bandwagon-everyone-follow kinda relationship. Our relationship with Him is personal. It is a loving one – such love that can’t be explained with words. It is a joyful one – joy unspeakable and full of glory (2 Peter 1:8).

Other religions tell you to do it this way or incur the wrath of God. There is no joy, no peace, no love; just mechanical followership. With theirs, one is always looking back, front, from side to side to see if he/she has done anything wrong. We Christians don’t serve an angry God. We worship a loving God, and “Hallelujah Anyhow that pleases God” is very much allowed (2 Corinthians 3:17). We can live sinless lives through Jesus. There is a power at work in us (Ephesians 3:21) that makes us live above sin, and so we don’t have to look out to see if we’re being judged by our shadows. Alleluia!

Having clarified why Jesus can be our only Savior, let’s answer why Jesus had to come in the flesh and die.

I mean, why didn’t God just lift a wand and wipe off all our sins? Why couldn’t God just make a pronouncement of salvation upon the earth? Why wouldn’t God just make a decree and say anyone who believes on me is saved; that is, without Jesus’ sacrifice? Why is it that Judaism won’t lead man to God?

Watch out for the next edition for answers to these questions.

But before I go, let me fix the above sketch...